


A War of our Own - Part 1

by Evagorn



Series: A War of Our Own (HEARTBEAT TTRPG 2) [1]
Category: HEARTBEAT (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 10:09:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20833715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evagorn/pseuds/Evagorn
Summary: Unlikely "heroes" are caught up in the terror and ever shifting conflicts of Solum's Great War between the Mogwai and Humans. Which side do you choose when all around you is death?(This is a brief recap of the Tabletop game held on Sunday, September 29th)





	A War of our Own - Part 1

We begin our adventure in Middeluge, one of the major cities of the Den that has, so far, seen nothing of the War that has been raging across Solum for months now. We find our four “heroes” engaged in their various activities.

First is Shana, a Reaper Mogwai living undercover to avoid detection from the Militia, who would take a Reaper such as her into custody the first chance they got. She works as a barmaid and general assistant for Daze, the local Kappa innkeeper. Though life has been hard for Shana, she has found a comfortable niche in Middeluge.

Next is Verticus, a Sahuagin and local of the town. He has enjoyed the peace, naturally, but still longs for adventure in the wider world. He is at the Inn relaxing, contemplating what more he can do with his life.

Downstairs in his room is Azael, a Cat Sith-Ao Ao hybrid who was formerly a military executioner. His past experiences still haunt him, and he keeps the horrors at bay by remaining continually drunk off his mind (as he is at the beginning of this adventure).

And finally is Johannes, a lone Nessie Mog living on a small island out in the midst of the seas surrounding Middeluge. He has lived peacefully alone since Solum’s earliest days, though is not ignorant of the happenings in the modern world. Normally he would be content to wait out the storm of War without involving himself, but the danger has increased to such a degree that even he has begun contemplating his course of action.

Shana starts her workday with her usual routine of checking the rooms downstairs. She begins with the northwest room, where Split, a local government employee is staying while his house is being cleaned. Next checks the southwest room and finds Azael, one of their long time residents, drunk again. After mumbling something about assassination squads sent to get him, Azael vomits all over the floor, at which point Shana is forced to throw him out on the street while she goes to clean up his mess.

While she does that, Azael is given a little help from a local Umi-Bozu who gets him some seltzer water to help with his distressed stomach.

Meanwhile, on his island, Johannes notices a strange agitation in the waters. He has known these seas since the world was young, and he knows when something is amiss. Yet he sees no immediate threat, and thus continues his daily routine of fishing.

After cleaning Azael’s filth, Shana resumes checking the rooms by looking in the northeast room. Inside is a Sahuagin soldier named Pike on a temporary leave who has come home for what little time she has. However, when Shana checks in, she finds that the soldier has been recalled to the front and is leaving immediately for Los Monstrous. She thanks Shana for all her kind words, and leaves with a downcast countenance. Shana’s heart is pricked by this lugubrious display, but she continues her work as before.

Finally, she checks the last, southeast room, which to her knowledge is unoccupied. Instead, she finds the door locked as though it has a resident. Though disturbed, Shana is not overly concerned, as she trusts Daze to know what he is doing. She goes upstairs to ask him, and finds that he indeed rented the room to a Cat Sith who came in late last night, and simple forgot to tell Shana about it. Relieved, Shana decides to check on Azael outside to see how he is sobering up.

Back on the island, Johannes sees a strange shape coming towards him. After a quick examination, he recognizes it as a vessel, and sees the disquieting face of a Human on board. He slips into the water in his Mogwai form and lets them come close first to see what their purpose is. After eavesdropping, he discovers that they appear to wish to set up some kind of relay, but he does not learn much more beyond this. One of them enters his cave, and he takes that opportunity to strike.

Outside the Inn, Shana finds Azael mostly sobered up and is about to welcome him back in, when suddenly they hear the rhythmic stamping of boots coming towards the town. In short order, a Chimera and his two Minotaur guards stomp into the city center. He identifies himself as Captain Varsh, and says he is looking for a renegade Cat Sith who his spies reported entered this town. He is directed to the Inn, where he sees Azael. Shana, meanwhile, has slipped inside to warn Daze about what is going on.

Varsh confronts Azael, almost accusing him of being the renegade. Azael attempts to say that he is a local doctor, and Varsh seems ready to dismiss this story until the Umi-Bozu from earlier pipes into to corroborate the story. Satisfied, Varsh pushes past Azael and enters the Inn, leaving his two guards outside.

The captain demands to speak with the owner, and Daze comes up to assist. Varsh demands to know if there is a Cat Sith staying in the Inn, and Daze says he can’t recall. He asks Shana to go get the log book from Room 4, the southeast room, and to be sure to check “in the closet”. Shana heads downstairs to do as instructed.

When she knocks on the door, the resident Cat Sith hastily demands why he’s being disturbed. Shana explains that he is in danger and needs to escape right away. She is welcomed into the room and examines the closet, as instructed, where she finds a dry pipe that can be used to escape. The Cat Sith, in obvious distress, turns to her and asks “Are you a friend of the Den?” Remembering her past tortures at the hand of the Den Militia and royal guards, Shana says “No”, but does explain that she is an advocate for peace. Though concerned, the Cat Sith presses a paper into her hands before making his escape.

Back upstairs, Shana hands a book - chosen at random - to Daze as though it were the log. Daze makes a show of checking it and says he has no Cat Sith residence. Captain Varsh insists his Ittan Momen spies were certain such a person came here. Shana begins to make a poor excuse, but Daze comes to the rescue, explaining that they did have such a resident, but he already checked out. He offers to take the Captain downstairs to check, and the two head down. He instructs Shana to have the patrons of the Inn to leave for now and to close up the shop until the situation is resolved.

Shana does as instructed, but as most people leave, Verticus, who up to that point had been a mere observer, refuses to go. He detects the hint of adventure here, and wants to see how such a situation will resolve itself. They then hear the sound of Daze scream in pain and both rush down to see it. Shana arrives just in time to see Varsh crush Daze’s core in his gauntlet, killing the one person she could still call friend. “The Den has no use for traitors,” Varsh states coldly. In a fit of rage, Shana draws her weapon and attacks.

Back outside, Azael, seeing the commotion, decides to head back in and see what’s happening. He hears the sound of fighting and rushes to the scene. He sees Shana and Veriticus in battle with Varsh, and doesn’t think twice about jumping in to assist.

A battle is then waged on two sides: Johannes on his island fights with the Humans, while Shana, Verticus, and Azael fight the Captain. Each battle resolves itself more or less satisfactorily. Johannes kills one of the Humans, and threatens the other two to flee or face the same fate. They comply and sail away on their boat without looking back. Seeing the imminent threat these Humans pose, Johannes decides to swim to Middeluge to warn them. Shana, Verticus, and Azael do battle with Varsh, attacking him on all sides and forcing him to try to flee. But Verticus manages to catch him and deal the finishing blow as the Captain tries to get past.

Shana binds the Captain with her ice powers, and Verticus uses his healing expertise to stabilize his wounds. Meanwhile, the Minotaur guards from earlier return looking for their Captain. While Shana drags the unconscious Chimera to a room, Azael cooks up a half-baked excuse of why he and the Captain are taking so long and intimidates the hapless guards into accepting it. They head outside, and Verticus decides to follow them out of curiosity.

Azael returns downstairs and requests permission to “question” the Captain. Shana, her rage still burning coldly after seeing the death of her friend, readily agrees. But before that can begin, Split, the Kappa engineer from the Northwest room, attempts to sneak out. Shana confronts him and finds out that it was he that gave the Ittan Momen the information they used to track the Cat Sith to his Inn, ultimately leading to Daze’s death. Split is distraught over this but swears he was just trying to be a good citizen. Shana believes him and lets him go, but reminds him that his life must be lived in Daze’s memory from now on. Shana then leaves Azael to do with the Captain as he pleases.

Outside the Inn, Verticus looks around for anything more interesting, and happens to spot a shape approaching the town. Soon, an old man emerges from the water, and Johannes arrives. He asks where he might go to find who is in charge, and Verticus explains that the Inn might be a good place. Johannes goes there and knocks on the door, at which point Shana peeks to see who it is. Johannes explains that he spotted Humans on his island, and though he was trying to keep it surreptitious, the Umi-Bozu from earlier overhears and loudly exclaims their surprise. Shana urges everyone back inside to talk things over, and Johannes and the Umi-Bozu go in.

Once inside, Johannes further explains what he saw, and the danger it poses. Then, they all hear the sound of a terrible scream of agony as Azael continues his brutal torture. Though alarmed, Shana does not immediately react, as her hatred for the man who murdered Daze remains. Johannes, on the other hand, goes to investigate. Downstairs, he comes upon a scene of horror as Azael brutally dismembers the Captain and eats him. Even though Mogs are known to eat each other, the gratuity of it leaves Johannes in a stupor. He hurries back upstairs to report what he’s seen, causing the Umi-Bozu - who had not only helped Azael with his drunkenness but also defended him against the Captain’s scrutiny - is horrified beyond belief. He flees the Inn, despite Shana’s efforts to stop him.

Recognizing the risk this poses, Shana hurries downstairs to warn Azael. She hustles him into the southeast room where the secret tunnel is, then finally gets a chance to see the carnage for herself. For the first time in a long time, she is left utterly stupefied, unable to decide how she feels.

Outside, the Umi-Bozu warns the guards about what has happened, making them run back in. Verticus sees this and decides to follow them back inside as well. Shana sees them arrive and when they demand to see their Captain, she lets them pass, still horrified by what she’s seen. After searching the rooms, the Minotaurs ultimately discover their fallen Captain and recoil in horror. They then realize where Azael is hiding and burst into the southeast room together. Azael laughs as he confronts them, smashing what’s left of the Captain’s core as a show of force. Though daunted, the Minotaurs attack.

Azael is forced to defend himself two against one, though Verticus jumps in to assist him. Johannes, knowing what really happened and know that Verticus does not, leaps in to pull the young Sahuagin away from the melee. Meanwhile, Shana remains utterly at a loss for what to do. After Azael strikes down one of the Minotaur, Shana finally jumps in, striking Azael unconscious with a savage blow. Verticus if cajoled into healing the wounded Minotaur, while the other asks Shana to bring rope to tie up Azael with. But when Shana goes upstairs, she sees one more horror.

Explosions rip the air, and when Shana peeks outside she sees the Humans and their war machines destroying the town. She flees at top speed to warn the others downstairs what is happening. They convene by the tunnel to make their escape, but the Minotaur realizes that he is too large to fit. He must stay behind. Shana tries to reason with him, but he states his conviction to remain and fight the humans. His final request is that Shana make sure Azael get’s the justice he deserves. The soldier then heads upstairs to face his doom.

With nothing left to do, Shana, Johannes, and Verticus make their escape into darkness, with the bound and unconscious Azael in tow. What will happen next? Tune in next time to find out!


End file.
